Consumption per capita varied by more than one to two across EU Member States

The FINANCIAL -- Actual Individual Consumption (AIC) is a measure of material welfare of households. Based on first preliminary estimates for 2016, AIC per capita expressed in Purchasing Power Standards (PPS) varied from 53% to 132% of the European Union (EU) average across the Member States.

Ten Member States recorded AIC per capita above the EU average in 2016. The highest level in the EU was recorded in Luxembourg, 32% above the EU average. Germany and Austria were around 20% above, followed by the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Sweden which all recorded levels between 10% and 15% above the EU average.

AIC per capita for twelve Member States lay between the EU average and 25% below. In Ireland, Italy and Cyprus the levels were 10% or less below the EU average, while Spain, Lithuania, Portugal and Malta were between 10% and 20% below. The Czech Republic, Greece, Slovakia, Poland and Slovenia were between 20% and 25% below the average.

Six Member States recorded AIC per capita about 30% or more below the EU average. Estonia, Latvia, Hungary and Romania were between around 30% and 40% below, while Croatia had AIC per capita just over 40% below the EU average and Bulgaria was 53% below.

GDP per capita ranged from 48% to 267% of the EU average

Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, a measure of economic activity, also shows substantial differences between the EU Member States. In 2016, GDP per capita expressed in PPS ranged between 48% of the EU average in Bulgaria to 267% in Luxembourg (see country note). Eleven Member States recorded a level of GDP per capita above the EU average in 2016.